


Chaos Theory

by staticbees



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Gen, and i wish canon had explored it more, based off of a scenario from 100 Ways The Freelancers Don't Tear Each Other Apart by QueSeraAwesome, i love eta and iota and their relationship with carolina, sorry for the lack of any sort of epilogue, this fic was supposed to be longer whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-09 20:35:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12896280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staticbees/pseuds/staticbees
Summary: “You can’t win, Carolina. But you can come with me.” Tex’s voice is calm and collected, and she holds out her gloved hand; a peace offering that Carolina knows she can’t accept.“Why would I ever do that?” Carolina snarls, her eyes narrowing.Texas looks down as the noise of the roaring flames grows louder, and the cracks in the glass widen, slowly draining the artificial oxygen as FILIS struggles to keep the gravity level. She lunges, wrapping her arms around Carolina as she covers her head with her arms, preparing for the inevitable impact. She has just enough time to wrap a leg around the support strut of the banister, anchoring them to the ship as they crash and the Mother of Invention shrieks all around them.“Hold on!” Tex screams. “Hold on to me! Just hold on!”





	Chaos Theory

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [100 Ways the Freelancers Don't Tear Each Other Apart](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1501589) by [QueSeraAwesome](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueSeraAwesome/pseuds/QueSeraAwesome). 



cha·os the·o·ry

_ noun _

noun:  **chaos theory**

 

  * __the branch of mathematics that deals with complex systems whose behavior is highly sensitive to slight changes in conditions, so that small alterations can give rise to strikingly great consequences.__



 

 

The Mother Of Invention rushes towards Sidewinder, flames streaming from its sides as the hull begins to crack under the pressure. Carolina can feel sweat pouring down her forehead, the glass under her feet splintering with every step she takes. Eta and Iota are frantic, yelling instructions and warnings as she fights. Her hands are clenched into fists, dodging Tex’s punches and desperately trying to land her own. 

 

Tex grabs her and slams her against the glass, and she can feel the heat stifling her breath. The hull is a bright, burning orange, sparks flying as she struggles to regain her balance in zero gravity. She holds her hands out steady, and glares at Tex. The other soldier stands steadily on a piece of debris floating near the hull, looking smug and confident, the picture of someone who is used to overcoming every single obstacle they face. Her sharp black armor glints in the fiery light, and Carolina grits her teeth, preparing to lash out once more, deal a final blow.

 

“You can’t win, Carolina. But you can come with me.” Tex’s voice is calm and collected, and she holds out her gloved hand; a peace offering that Carolina knows she can’t accept.

 

“Why would I ever do that?” Carolina snarls, her eyes narrowing.

 

Texas looks down as the noise of the roaring flames grows louder, and the cracks in the glass widen, slowly draining the artificial oxygen as FILIS struggles to keep the gravity level. She lunges, wrapping her arms around Carolina as she covers her head with her arms, preparing for the inevitable impact. She has just enough time to wrap a leg around the support strut of the banister, anchoring them to the ship as they crash and the Mother of Invention shrieks all around them.

 

“Hold on!” Tex screams. “Hold on to me! Just hold on!”

 

Carolina doesn’t struggle, but the AI in her mind are screaming as the ship hurtles towards the planet, and she squeezes her eyes shut, trying to block out the sound of their terrified shrieks. 

 

They enter the atmosphere at breakneck speed, smoke pouring from the ship, and a sharp ledge makes the MoI tilt and sway. There is a booming noise, and the jolt of landing jars Carolina’s whole body. They slam against the hull, and Carolina falls to the floor, groaning. Her hands ache, and one of her fingers is definitely broken, she can feel it. She lies there for a moment, her head pounding and her vision blurry.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Texas get to her feet, and Carolina wonders how the other soldier wasn’t hurt during the crash. As she gains her bearings, Eta begins to panic, a stream of anxious thoughts filling Carolina’s mind. 

 

_ What if the Director finds us? What if we can’t escape? What if Texas takes us away from you? What if we die? What will we do? We’re hurt, we can’t get out, they’ll find us, there’s nothing we can do! What if they separate me from Iota? What if- _

 

_ Eta. We’re going to be okay,  _ Iota assures them, noticing Carolina’s wide eyes and fast heartbeats, a common sign of human fear. A.I have a large influence over the emotions of their host, and having Eta in her head clearly isn’t helping Carolina much.  _ You’re scaring her. _

 

_ Sorry,  _ Eta sighs, and Carolina takes a deep breath, steadying herself. As she opens her eyes, she sees Texas standing above her, a dark silhouette against the bright white landscape outside the window. 

 

“There’s something I need to go do. Will you be okay?” She sounds almost concerned, her tone soft and vaguely sympathetic. Texas being gentle is a disconcerting thought, and Carolina scoffs at the notion. All she’s done is fight her - why should the other soldier show even the slightest hint of empathy? 

 

Carolina nods mutely, the burst of adrenaline she had gained from her fight rapidly draining away. She clears her throat at Tex’s expectant look.

 

“I- yeah, I’ll be fine. I still have the AI, after all.” She smiles weakly, even though she knows Texas can’t see it through her helmet. 

 

_ Well, you still have  _ me _. Eta isn’t much help right now. _

 

_ Hey!  _ Eta protests, sounding genuinely hurt.

 

_ Haha, I’m just kidding, Eta. Don’t be such a worrywart,  _ Iota teases, the tone of their voice bright and cheery, despite the grim reality of the situation they’re in. _ You’re helpful. _

 

Carolina watches Texas walk away, and sighs, leaning against the side of the ship. Her ring finger throbs, and she grimaces in pain. 

 

_ We should find a way out,  _ Eta whispers, and she can tell they want to stay put just as much as she does, but she agrees with them. 

 

She stands up slowly, using her good hand to steady herself. The sudden return to full gravity is abrupt and it makes her stomach twist into a knot, despite the fact that she’s trained in anti-grav for years now. 

 

She stares out the window, watching Maine walk towards the cliff, his brute shot strapped to his back. His fists are clenched and she shudders, backing away.

 

_ Not going down there, that’s for sure. _

 

There is a blur of black, and Tex is running towards him, stopping short a few feet away. Maine turns towards her and Sigma flickers into being, hands behind his back. 

 

Carolina’s eyes widen in horror, as she stares at him, Eta frantically calculating probabilities in the back of her mind. 

 

_ That’s not Maine anymore,  _ Iota whispers softly _. _

 

As much as Carolina wants to stay and find out what’s going to happen, she knows if she delays any longer, she’ll eventually be found, whether it’s by Maine, or the Director, or someone else entirely. She turns around and heads into the depths of the ship, fists clenched.

 

_ We got away, and that’s what matters. Agent Texas can take care of herself,  _ Iota assures her, and Eta nods in tentative agreement.

 

She knows the layout of the Mother of Invention almost by heart at this point. Walking through its halls was practically second nature, especially with two A.I who have access to a general map of the facility and surrounding wings. 

 

The Director used to take her on tours of the ship, when he first had it commissioned. It had seemed so intimidating at first, grand and large and almost clinically clean, but soon it started to feel almost like her home away from home. Her father would spend endless hours there in his office, and most days she felt compelled to come along. After all, someday she would be spending all of her time on the ship, and it was only prudent to learn to navigate it early. 

 

After she became leader of Project Freelancer’s Alpha team, she dedicated most of her time to studying the looping corridors and passages, the way from the cafeteria to medical bay, from her quarters to the training room. And of course, she learned where all the emergency exits were. 

 

As she crosses the storage bay, she notes the signs of a battle, splatters of blood drying on the cold metal ground. The walls are dented, and boxes are in piles in the corners, jumbled up from the crash. Her armored boots clang on the floor, and Eta winces with every step she takes, worried that someone might hear them. After what seems like forever, Carolina finally reaches the exit and breathes a sigh of relief, a blast of ice-cold air hitting her as pushes open the heavy metal door and steps outside. 

 

The wreck of the MoI is smoking, and there are scratches and tears on every inch of its worn surface. The ship rests on a high cliff, and the drop is sharp and steep, freezing oceans pooling in valleys lined with cascading ice. The sun in the pale blue sky is a blazing gold, and Carolina squints in the bright daylight, the shine of the snow almost blinding. 

 

_ It’s beautiful, _ Iota sighs.

 

_ And dangerous, _ Eta adds, sounding nervous.

 

“I’m not going to slip,” Carolina assures them.

 

As she begins to walk, she thinks she hears footsteps behind her, but no one is there, just the creak of the ice and the pressing silence of the snow.  _ Eta’s paranoia must be getting to me, _ she thinks, smiling bitterly. As if the two A.I hadn’t already done enough.

 

She’s painfully aware that without her bodysuit and armor, she’d have died from hypothermia by now. The armor is meant to regulate temperature, but even it can’t compete with a planet made entirely out of ice. Eta notes grimly that the temperature is currently -243 degrees. Her fingers are numb and she rubs her hands together, trying to warm them up. 

 

She takes a deep breath, and trudges forward, determined. 

 

After about ten minutes, the temperature starts to take its toll. Carolina can feel blood frozen on her cheeks. She’s shivering uncontrollably, and she clenches her fists to stop her hands from shaking. Her legs are burning with each step she takes, and her chest stings when she breathes. She feels weak, movements slow and laboured. She forces herself to keep walking. Eta is worried. 

 

_ Are you sure we shouldn’t stop to rest?  _

 

“I need... to keep... moving,” she grits out. 

 

_ Your core body temperature is less than 40 degrees,  _ Iota says, sounding uncharacteristically concerned.  _ You need to get to someplace warm, or you’ll freeze to death. _

 

Carolina begins to respond, but crumples, falling to her knees in the snow. A wave of exhaustion washes over her. She grits her teeth, and tries to stand. Her legs give out from under her, and she sinks to the ground, head aching. She feels dizzy, like the ground is spinning out from under her, and as Eta begins to spiral into panic, she can feel the world slipping away. 

 

_ Come  _ on _ ,  _ Iota pleads,  _ you need to stay awake! _

 

As her vision goes dark, she hears a loud rumbling sound, like engines overhead. Slowly, painfully, Carolina raises her head. A Pelican dropship is heading towards her, casting a looming shadow over the bright, icy landscape. Through blurry vision, she watches someone lean out, holding onto the side of the ship with one hand. 

 

The ship dips down, and they reach out and grasp her arm, pulling her up to a standing position. She glances up to see sharp black armor glinting in the sunlight, a gold visor staring at her.  _ Texas.  _ She recoils, trying to escape the other Freelancer’s grip. Tex’s fingers only tighten around Carolina’s wrist, and Eta cries out. 

 

“Let me go,” Carolina grits out, anger spilling into her words. 

 

“You’d rather freeze to death?” Texas demands, incredulous. 

 

She glares up at the soldier. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” she spits.

 

Tex scoffs. “You don’t have a choice.”


End file.
